Names in bold are the names from the English-language versions of the video games or anime. Names within parentheses in plain text are the anglicized form of the characters' original Japanese language name if different from the English-language version. Italicized names are the romanized version of the Japanese language name if different from the anglicized version.

The protagonist of the video games can be renamed by the player, but each has an array of default names. As the anime and the various manga are, to differing degrees, based on the games, other Pokémon protagonists (or supporting characters) are often named after and share many characteristics with the game protagonists.

In the Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen games, the player has the option of choosing a female avatar within the game. Her design is based on concept art for a third female protagonist which was an unused character in the original Red, Green, and Blue games. This design was ultimately used for the character Green (Blue (ブルー,Burū)) in the Pokémon Adventures manga. While no name is officially given to the character, many refer to her as "Leaf" (リーフ,Rīfu), which is one of the many pre-set options available for the female avatar.

Gold/Ethan (Hibiki (ヒビキ)): The main protagonist of Pokémon Gold and Silver and male protagonist of Pokémon Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver. In the anime, this protagonist is the inspiration for Jimmy, one of the heroes of "The Legend of Thunder", the multipart episode at the beginning of Pokémon Chronicles (an hour-and-a-half long episode in the original Japanese version) as well as the character of Gold (ゴールド,Gōrudo) in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Kris(クリス,Kurisu): The female protagonist of Crystal. In the anime, this protagonist is the inspiration for Marina, one of the heroes of "The Legend of Thunder", the multipart episode at the beginning of Pokémon Chronicles. She is the basis of the Pokémon Adventures character Crystal (クリスタル,Kurisutaru).

Lyra (Kotone (コトネ)): The female protagonist of HeartGold and SoulSilver. Lyra has an anime counterpart who travels with the main characters for a couple of episodes. In the Pokémon Adventures manga's HeartGold and SoulSilver arc, Crystal gets a new outfit that resembles Lyra's.

May (Haruka (ハルカ)): The female protagonist of Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire. May is a main character in the Pokémon anime for its Advanced Generation seasons, later having a recurring appearance in a few episodes of the Diamond & Pearl seasons. She is the basis of the character Sapphire (サファイア,Safaia) in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Wes (Leo (レオ,Reo)): The protagonist of Pokémon Colosseum. He is a former member of Team Snagem who goes against the group's plans of stealing other trainers' Pokémon, taking the Snag Machine that enables them to do so. He later works on saving Orre from Cipher's evil plans. "Wes" is only one of several preset options in Colosseum, the others being Seth (Yūta (ユータ)) and Thomas (Tatsuki (タツキ)), although "Leo" appears in the Japanese manga adaptation of Colosseum.

Rui (Mirei (ミレイ)): Wes's companion in Colosseum. She possesses a unique ability to see into the hearts of Pokémon, allowing the player to identify Shadow Pokémon. She is stubborn, and hates it when people believe she and Wes are romantically involved. "Rui" is only one option for this character's name in Colosseum, the others being Anca (Annie (アニー,Anī)) and Yuki (Chiharu (チハル)), although "Mirei" appears in the Japanese manga adaptation of Colosseum.

Michael (Ryūto (リュウト)): The protagonist of Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. He uses the Snag Machine and Aura Reader given to him by Professor Krane to stop Team Cipher.

Dawn (Hikari (ヒカリ)): The female protagonist of Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. Dawn also serves as a main character in the anime during its Diamond & Pearl seasons, reappearing during the Black & White seasons for an arc. She is the basis of the character Platinum Berlitz (プラチナ・ベルリッツ,Purachina Berurittsu) in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Hilbert (Tōya (トウヤ)): The male protagonist of Pokémon Black and White. When not chosen as the player character, he appears as the player's Multi-Battle partner in the Battle Subway. He is the basis of the character Black (ブラック,Burakku) in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Hilda (Tōko (トウコ)): The female protagonist of Pokémon Black and White. When not chosen as the player, she appears as the player's Multi-Battle partner in the Battle Subway. She is the basis of the character White (ホワイト,Howaito) in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Nate (Kyōhei (キョウヘイ)): The male protagonist of Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. When not chosen as the player, he appears as the player's Multi-Battle partner in the Battle Subway. He is the basis for the character Lack-two (ラクツ,Rakutsu) in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Rosa (Mei (メイ)): The female protagonist of Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. When not chosen as the player, she appears as the player's Multi-Battle partner in the Battle Subway. She is the basis for the character Whi-two (ファイツ,Faitsu) in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Calem(カルム,Karumu): The male protagonist of Pokémon X and Y. When not chosen as the player, he appears as a rival. He is the basis for the Pokémon Adventures character X (エックス,Ekkusu).

Serena(セレナ): The female protagonist of Pokémon X and Y. When not chosen as the player, she appears as a rival. She is the basis for the Pokémon Adventures character Y (ワイ,Wai). she is also a main character in the x and y seasons of the anime

The main character's rival in the video games has a number of different names, but he roughly corresponds to several other characters in the animated series and comics. (Note that not all of the corresponding characters are rivals or antagonists to the protagonist in the anime or in Pokémon Adventures, however.) In the Pokémon video games, the rivals will always pick a starter Pokémon which has a type advantage over the player's own.

Blue (Green (グリーン,Gurīn)): The player's rival and League Champion in Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen. He is pushy and competitive, but is generally a good Pokémon Trainer. He is the grandson of Professor Oak. Blue is the basis for Gary Oak in the anime and Blue in Pokémon Adventures. IGN listed Blue as the 98th best villain in video games, though they stressed that it was difficult to view him as a villain. However, they did say that he was kind of a "douche", citing his attempt to prevent the player character from getting a map.[1] Three years later in the generation 2 games and their remakes, he becomes a Gym Leader for Viridian City, where he is the final gym in the post-game, before gaining access to Mt. Silver to fight Red.

Silver(シルバー,Shirubā): The player's rival in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, and their remakes, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. This character steals his first Pokémon from Professor Elm, and tends to see Pokémon as tools, to use and discard, although not in the Pokémon Adventures. Unlike the first rival, his view on Pokémon makes him a mediocre trainer, though the sage in the Sprout Tower recognises that he is talented, and has great potential. In HeartGold and SoulSilver, if the player brings an event Celebi to the Ilex Forest shrine, Silver is revealed to be the son of Team Rocket Boss Giovanni, and his hatred of Team Rocket stems from his father's failure. He eventually realizes his wrongdoings and changes his ways by treating his Pokémon and even the player with respect. This rival does not appear in the anime mainly, but is featured in the Japanese opening for Pokémon Chronicles. The rival is featured in Pokémon Adventures as Silver. It's unknown if Giovanni is the father of Silver in the anime timeline, just like his game and Pokémon Adventure counterpart.

Wally (Mitsuru (ミツル)): Another one of the rivals in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald is the player's protégé, Wally. In the beginning, he is a sickly young boy who needs help in catching a Pokémon. When he goes to the player's father for advice, Norman directs the player to help him catch a Pokémon. Using Norman's Zigzagoon, the player helps Wally catch a Ralts. The next time he battles the protagonist, he seems healthier and is in tune with his Pokémon. He battles the player for the last official time near Victory Road and waits there, always ready for another battle.

Barry (Jun (ジュン)): Barry is the player's rival in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. He is often impatient and is determined to be the best Trainer of all time. He is best friends with the player, and his father, Palmer, owns the Battle Tower in Sinnoh. Sometimes he will aid the player. He tends to accidentally crash into people quite often as he runs about. He can be fought again during weekends at the Fight Area. In the anime, Barry genuinely loves Pokémon, and is disgusted at how Team Galactic exploit Pokémon for profit. He is the basis for the character Pearl (パール,Pāru) in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Cheren(チェレン): One of the rivals in Pokémon Black and White. Cheren is very intelligent and trustworthy; he often gives the player character advice and battles the player to test his skills. Like the player, he aims to become the Champion. He is one of the player's childhood friends. Two years later, in Black 2 and White 2, he becomes Aspertia City's Gym Leader, giving the Basic Badge to trainers who have defeated him. If the player used the Memory Link function in Black 2 and White 2, he challenges the player using his final team from Black and White. His name is from the Bulgarian word for black: черен (cheren).[2]

Bianca (Bel (ベル,Beru)): One of the rivals in Pokémon Black and White. Bianca is spontaneous and sometimes unreliable, but she develops over the course of the journey. She also has a strong side, which she shows when she goes on a Pokémon journey against her father's wishes. She is one of the player's childhood friends. Two years later in the events of Black 2 and White 2, Bianca becomes an assistant to Professor Juniper and is the one who gives the player their starter Pokémon. If the player used the Memory Link function in Black 2 and White 2, she challenges the player using her final team from Black and White. Bianca is unique among the player's rivals in which she picks a starter Pokémon with a type disadvantage to the player's own, rather than a type advantage. Bianca's name is from the Italian word for white, while her Japanese name "Bel" has the same meaning from Russian: бел (bel).[2]

Hugh(ヒュウ,Hyū): Hugh is the player's rival in Black 2 and White 2. He is from Aspertia City, like the player characters, and is also seeking to become a Pokémon Master. Throughout the game, the player helps Hugh retrieve his sister's Purrloin which was stolen by Team Plasma. "Hugh" is the default name option, but the player can pick a custom name.[3]

Calem or Serena: The main rival in "Pokémon X and Y is either Calem or Serena. They are the opposite gender of the player's character. They will fight the player, and sometimes aid each other during the player's quest.

The "pseudo-rival" in the video games debuted in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and is usually the character that the player did not choose to play as. They will appear in the game and will sometimes aid the player during their journey.

Lucas or Dawn: The pseudo-rival in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum is either Lucas or Dawn. They are the opposite gender of the player's character and are one of Professor Rowan's assistants. In both cases, they won't fight the player, but rather aid the player during the player's quest. The rival has a little sister in Sandgem Town that watches TV and tells the player where swarms of Pokémon come.

Ethan or Lyra: The pseudo-rival in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver is either Ethan or Lyra. They are the opposite gender of the player's character, and are the grandchild of the daycare couple on Route 34. In both cases, they won't fight the player, but rather aid the player during the player's quest. They also take the role of "Dude" from the original Game Boy Color games, showing the player how to catch Pokémon. Their main Pokémon is a Marill.

Shauna(サナ,Sana): Shauna is a friend of the player character in X and Y from his/her hometown Vaniville Town. She is energetic and curious about the Kalos Region, but still does not know what she wants to gain from her experiences. She gives the player character a nickname at the outset of their journey. She is available as a Multi Battle partner at the Battle Maison.

Tierno(ティエルノ,Tieruno): Tierno is another friend of the player character in X and Y from Snowbelle City. He is more interested in finding new Pokémon to make a perfect Pokémon Dance Team and gets distracted in battle: as a consequence, he tends to be the weakest trainer out of the five. He is available as a Multi Battle partner at the Battle Maison.

Trevor(トロバ,Toroba): Trevor is another friend of the player character in X and Y who hails from Lumiose City. He is studious and wishes to fill up all three parts of the Kalos Region's Pokédex. He is available as a Multi Battle partner at the Battle Maison.

The Pokémon League is a little-described organization that organizes and certifies Pokémon Gyms and Pokémon tournaments. Becoming the Pokémon League Champion is one of the main goals in the video games, as well as one of Ash's stated goals in life in the anime.

The members of the Pokémon League have differing roles depending on where they appear; in the video games, they are the one-time "boss" opponents the player has to overcome to progress through the game, in the anime, they are usually one-time challengers Ash has to face to become the Pokémon League Champion, and in the manga, they are alternately enemies or allies to the protagonists, depending on their individual motivations.

Gym Leaders(ジムリーダー,Jimu Rīdā) lead Pokémon Gyms, and offer Gym badges to Pokémon trainers who can defeat them. Usually, this challenge takes the form of a Pokémon battle, but, occasionally, the challenges are a trial of skill or endurance, or the badges are given in return for extraordinary services rendered.

Each main region has at least eight Gym Leaders at a time. Any trainer who earns a Gym Badge from eight Gyms is eligible to go on to face the Elite Four or participate in the Pokémon League Championships, as appropriate.

Misty (Kasumi (カスミ)): Gym Leader of Cerulean City and an expert in Water-type Pokémon. In the anime, she leaves this post for a time to join Ash on his adventure. In Pokémon Chronicles (Pokémon Sunday in Japan), Misty returns to take over as the Gym Leader from her sisters, and becomes one of the main characters, often co-starring with Tracey Sketchit, Casey, or one of her sisters: Daisy, Lily and Violet.

Lt. Surge (Matis (マチス,Machisu)): An expert in Electric-type Pokémon. He is ex-military, but retains the lieutenant title, at the Vermilion City gym. Unlike the majority of the characters in the game, Surge is American born, rather than being a native to Kanto. In the Japanese versions of the games, he speaks in broken Japanese, with many of his words parsed in katakana or English.

Erika(エリカ): An expert in Grass-type Pokémon. Operates a women-only Pokémon Gym (which doubles as a greenhouse) in Celadon City. In the anime, Erika also works as a perfume maker. In Pokémon Adventures, Erika serves as the leader of the Kanto Gym Leaders who are unaffiliated with Team Rocket.

Sabrina (Natsume (ナツメ)): A specialist in Psychic-type Pokémon, in Saffron City. In the anime, she is a cold, emotionless woman born with powerful psychic abilities, including telekinesis, telepathy, and transmutation, which she used in destructive ways as a child. In the anime, she carries around a green-haired doll that is actually a physical manifestation of the childhood and childlike spirit she abandoned in favor of practicing her psychic abilities. In the video games, she is still a psychic, but she is not portrayed as evil. The protagonist is told of how she beat the leader of "The Fighting Dojo" (the gym next door) by robbing it of its gym status. Sabrina returns in Black 2 and White 2 in the Pokéstar Studios mini games as a movie villain.

Kiyo (Nobuhiko (ノブヒコ)): Kiyo leads a martial arts gym in Saffron City, and, until an unspecified amount of time before the events of Pokémon Red, Blue, Green, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen, was either a Gym Leader or an aspiring Gym Leader. Either way, his prospects as a Gym Leader were dashed after Sabrina and her Gym of Psychic-type Pokémon defeated him and his followers. In Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow, is he simply called by his trainer class, Blackbelt (Karate King (からておう,Karate Ō)), and is in FireRed and LeafGreen erroneusly called Koichi (Takenori (タケノリ)) due to an oversight.

Blaine (Katsura (カツラ)): An expert in Fire-type Pokémon. He enjoys testing his potential challengers with quizzes on their knowledge of Pokémon and appears to be an old friend of Mr. Fuji. Originally resided on Cinnabar Island, but moved to the Seafoam Islands after Cinnabar was destroyed by a volcano, with the intention of rebuilding the gym on Cinnabar some day.

Janine (Anzu (アンズ)): An expert in Poison-type Pokémon. Janine is Koga's daughter, and in Pokémon Gold and Silver takes over the Fuchsia City Pokémon Gym after her father joins the Elite Four. She makes the Gym's invisible maze even more confusing by filling it with lesser Pokémon trainers disguised as herself, to mislead challengers.

Blue (the player's rival in the first generation games and their remakes) becomes the new Viridian City Gym Leader following the disappearance of Giovanni in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, and their remakes, Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. He does not stick to a specific type and has a wide variety of Pokémon, similar to the team he would have at the end of the preceding games.

These gym leaders only appear in the anime series' second season. They do not appear in any of the games.

Cissy (Atsumi (アツミ)): Cissy is an expert on Water-type Pokémon, and challenges Ash to a water gun accuracy contest and a surfing race instead of a battle.

Danny (Dan (ダン)): Danny challenges Ash to climb a mountain, freeze a geyser, and sled-race down the mountain.

Rudy (Ziggy (ジギー,Jigī)): A Pokémon trainer and dance instructor. He is very protective of his little sister, Mahri.

Luana (Ruriko (ルリコ)): A specialist in two-on-two Pokémon battles. She also owns and operates a hotel, and has a son, Travis, who looks much like Ash, who also has a Pikachu sitting on his shoulder while starting off on his journey.

Drake (Yūji (ユウジ)): Drake is the head of the Orange Islands Gym Leaders. (He is unrelated to the Drake that resides in Hoenn.) Because he had been undefeated until Ash defeats him, Drake has been the long-standing champion of the Orange Islands; with Ash's victory, photos and plaster prints of him and his team are included among photos and plaster prints of previous champions preceding Drake.

Falkner (Hayato (ハヤト)) : Violet City Gym Leader and an expert on Flying-type Pokémon. Falkner inherited ownership of the gym from his father.

Bugsy (Tsukushi (ツクシ)): Azalea Town Gym Leader and an expert on Bug-type Pokémon. He is a child prodigy who has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of Pokémon.

Whitney (Akane (アカネ)): Goldenrod City Gym Leader and an expert on Normal-type Pokémon. She is known to throw tantrums when she loses, but is otherwise a cheerful Gym Leader and a good sport once she calms down. If defeated she would actually refuse to give the player a badge at first, although she eventually comes around. She plays a larger role in the remakes of Gold and Silver, including meeting the player again at the Pokeathelon Dome where she gives them a new outfit to participate in the competition with. In the anime, she is much more level-headed, though she tends to get lost in Goldenrod City quite easily.

Morty (Matsuba (マツバ)): Ecruteak City Gym Leader and an expert on Ghost-type Pokémon. Morty has vaguely defined psychic abilities. In Pokémon Crystal, he is a friend of Eusine, a trainer searching for Suicune. He believes that he is destined to meet the legendary Pokémon of Ecruteak.

Chuck (Shijima (シジマ)): Cianwood City Gym Leader and an expert on Fighting-type Pokémon. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Chuck was the childhood teacher of the rival, Blue.

Jasmine (Mikan (ミカン)): Olivine City Gym Leader and an expert on Steel-type Pokémon. She initially refuses the player's challenge because she is tending to a sick Ampharos that provides light for the city lighthouse. Only after giving the Ampharos proper medicine can Jasmine be challenged. Jasmine notably appears in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl and Pokémon Platinum in Sunyshore City and also as a competitor in Master Rank Pokémon Contests with her Steelix Rusty (Nail (ネール,Nēru)).

Pryce (Yanagi (ヤナギ)): Mahogany Town Gym Leader and an expert on Ice-type Pokémon. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Pryce leads Neo Team Rocket under the alias of the "Masked Man" or Mask of Ice (マスク・オブ・アイス,Masuku Obu Aisu). In public, he serves as the leader of the Johto Gym Leaders in a similar capacity to Erika, Winona, Byron, and Clay. Pryce is considerably more benign in the anime series, though he has a bitter attitude toward Pokémon since the mysterious disappearance of his loyal Piloswine during his youth.

Clair (Ibuki (イブキ)): Blackthorn City Gym Leader and an expert on Dragon-type Pokémon. Clair is the younger cousin of Elite Four member and Champion, Lance. After being defeated, Clair forces the player to complete a trial in a nearby cave before being awarded a Badge.

Roxanne (Tsutsuji (ツツジ)): Rustboro City Gym Leader and an expert on Rock-type Pokémon. She is also a teacher at the Pokémon Trainer's School in Rustboro.

Brawly (Tōki (トウキ)): Dewford Town Gym Leader and an expert on Fighting-type Pokémon. He trains by surfing the waves along Dewford beach, and claims that the swell helps build up his Pokémon's muscles. In the anime, he also has a private island which has a training facility and a battle field that has geysers on it. He used to train with Bruno, the Elite Four member from Kanto.

Wattson (Tessen (テッセン)): Mauville City Gym Leader and an expert on Electric-type Pokémon. An old man, Wattson is almost always seen smiling and likes a good joke. He and the Trick Master are good friends in Pokémon Adventures. In the anime, any visitor who enters the Gym by the front door takes as an inadvertent roller coaster ride, ending up against a mechanical Raikou.

Flannery (Asuna (アスナ)): Lavaridge Town Gym Leader and an expert on Fire-type Pokémon. Like Falkner, she supposedly inherited her Gym; Flannery's predecessor was her grandfather and she is relatively new in her role as Lavaridge's Gym Leader.

Winona (Nagi (ナギ)): Fortree City Gym Leader and an expert on Flying-type Pokémon. In Pokémon Adventures, she is the de facto leader of the Gym Leaders of Hoenn against the plots of Team Aqua and Team Magma. In the anime, she owns a shiny Swellow.

Tate & Liza (Fū & Lan (フウとラン,Fū to Ran)): The twins are the Mossdeep City Gym Leaders and experts on Psychic-type Pokémon. Their parents work at the Mossdeep Space Center. In the anime, it is revealed that Liza is older than Tate by minutes from birth and also happens to be a more experienced trainer than him.

Roark (Hyōta (ヒョウタ)): Oreburgh City Gym Leader and an expert on Rock-type Pokémon. His father is Byron, who is the Gym Leader of Canalave City. He is first found in the mine near Oreburgh City. He and his father Byron are avid fossil hunters and Roark introduces the player character to the Underground.

Gardenia (Natane (ナタネ)): Eterna City Gym Leader and an expert on Grass-type Pokémon. In the anime, she is extremely enthusiastic about Grass-type Pokémon and would often approach one despite not being worried about being attacked. In the Diamond, Pearland Platinum games, she shows her discontent for Ghost-type Pokémon as she warns the player about them outside the Old Chateau at the Eterna Forest and notes that she is worried about what would happen if a dual Grass/Ghost type Pokémon does exist.

Maylene (Sumomo (スモモ)): Veilstone City Gym Leader and an expert on Fighting-type Pokémon. Her father is often seen at the casino in Veilstone City and he describes his daughter as a tough one. She also appears in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver at an eating contest in Celadon City and as a participant in the Pokéathlon.

Crasher Wake (Maximum Mask (マキシマム仮面,Makishimamu Kamen)): Pastoria City Gym Leader and an expert on Water-type Pokémon. Wake is dressed up like a masked wrestler. He is widely known as professional wrestler in the Sinnoh region and is often mentioned on various TV shows. He also makes several appearances in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver.

Fantina (Melissa (メリッサ,Merissa)): Hearthome City Gym Leader and an expert on Ghost-type Pokémon. She comes from a foreign land and she speaks in a broken form of the language of the game and her own original language; in the Japanese and French language games this is English, while other language editions have her as French. She is also a skilled tango dancer. Fantina can often be found participating in Master Rank Super Contests in the Hearthome Contest Hall. In Diamond and Pearl, although Hearthome City is visited fairly early, Fantina will refuse to battle until the player has earned four Badges; in Pokémon Platinum, she can be challenged during the player's first visit to the city, placing her as the third Gym Leader in the game. She also appears as a possible contestant in Pokémon Super Contests in Platinum, entering with her Drifblim Loony (Balloon (ばるん,Barun)).

Byron (Tōgan (トウガン)): Canalave City Gym Leader and an expert on Steel-type Pokémon. He is the father of Roark, who is also a Gym Leader. He and his son are avid diggers and fossil hunters. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, Byron acts as the leader of the Sinnoh Gym Leaders against Team Galactic.

Candice (Suzuna (スズナ)): Snowpoint City Gym Leader and an expert on Ice-type Pokémon. After the Elite Four are conquered, she will grant the player access to the Snowpoint Temple. In the anime, she is a childhood friend of Dawn's rival, Zoey. In Platinum, Maylene admires her for her studiousness.

Volkner (Denji (デンジ)): The Sunyshore City Gym Leader and an expert on Electric-type Pokémon. Volkner is close friends with Flint of the Sinnoh Elite Four, but has become disillusioned after a long series of unworthy opponents.

Cilan (Dent (デント,Dento)), Chili (Pod (ポッド,Poddo)), and Cress (Corn (コーン,Kōn)): Triplets and waiters who share duties as the Striaton City Gym Leaders. The player challenges the Gym Leader whose Pokémon is strong against the player's starter; Cilan has the Grass-Type Pansage, Chili has the Fire-Type Pansear, and Cress has the Water-Type Panpour. Cilan appears as a main character in the anime, joining Ash on his journey after he is awarded Striaton Gym's Trio Badge for defeating him and his brothers. While they do not reprise their roles as Gym Leaders in Black 2 and White 2, they do appear in the post-game as NPCs that the player can meet and then participate in a unique battle with them on a regular basis.

Lenora (Aloe (アロエ,Aroe)): Nacrene City Gym Leader and paleontologist who uses Normal-Type Pokémon. Lenora has her Gym located inside Nacrene City's museum, of which she is also the director. Her devoted husband, Hawes (Kidachi (キダチ)_, is the assistant director. While she does not reprise her role as a Gym Leader in Black 2 and White 2, she remains the director of the Nacrene Museum.

Burgh (Arti (アーティ,Āti)): Castelia City Gym Leader; he is a skilled painter and a Bug-Type specialist. Burgh's Gym is modeled after a beehive and features many of his works of art. He is friends with Lenora. In Black 2 and White 2, Burgh is still the Castelia Gym Leader, but his Gym is now coated in silk from cocoons. The top floor is entirely smothered in paint.

Elesa (Kamitsure (カミツレ)): Nimbasa City Gym Leader and a model; Elesa specializes in Electric-Type Pokémon. The Nimbasa City Gym is located in an amusement park, and the Pokémon Gym is filled with roller coasters. Elesa helps to convince Bianca's father to allow his daughter to become a Pokémon trainer and also tells Clay to lower the drawbridge into Driftveil City for the player. She returns as the Nimbasa Gym Leader in Black 2 and White 2, but she has moved her Gym into a fashion studio complete with runway.

Clay (Yacon (ヤーコン,Yākon)): Driftveil City Gym Leader and CEO of an unknown company, according to a trainer in Clay's gym. Clay uses Ground-Type Pokémon in his cavernous mine-like gym. He tests the player before allowing a Gym Challenge by asking the player help arrest the Team Plasma members in his town. His Gym contains an elevator puzzle in Black and White. He also leads the other Unova Gym Leaders against Team Plasma's interests in these games and the Pokémon Adventures manga. In Black 2 and White 2, he retains his role as the Driftveil Gym Leader, though his Gym's puzzle now revolves around a maze of platforms obscured by darkness.

Skyla (Fūro (フウロ)): Mistralton City Gym Leader; Skyla uses Flying-Type Pokémon in her gym on an airstrip. She also works as a commercial pilot, flying cargo planes. Before she lets the player challenge her, she visits the Celestial Tower to help a hurt Pokémon she saw on her last flight. Her Gym has a puzzle based on air cannons that shoot the player around. In Black 2 and White 2, she remains the Mistralton Gym Leader and her gym's puzzle involves fans that blows the player in specific directions to move through the Gym. She also flies the player to Lentimas Town.

Brycen (Hachiku (ハチク)): Icirrus City's Gym Leader; Brycen is an Ice-Type specialist and former movie star. After sustaining an injury on set, Brycen sought out Alder who suggested that he become a Pokémon trainer. He stresses the importance of concealing his identity from others and wears a mask. Brycen steps down from his role as Gym Leader two years later, and in Black 2 and White 2 returns to his old career in films, allowing the player to encounter him in the PokéStar Studios minigame. He is known for playing the role of a villain known as "Brycen-Man."

Drayden (Shaga (シャガ)) and Iris(アイリス,Airisu): The two Gym Leaders of Opelucid City and Dragon-Type specialists. The Gym features a puzzle based on different switches and the movement of statues within the building. While both characters are present in each version of the games, Drayden is battled in Black while Iris is battled in White; the character who is not the Gym Leader will be the Move Tutor for Draco Meteor instead. In Black 2 and White 2, Drayden becomes the sole Opelucid City Gym Leader while Iris has become the regional champion in the two years following the previous games. Iris appears as a main character in the anime. In the episode: "Drayden Versus Iris: Past, Present, and Future!", it is revealed that Iris went to Drayden's school in Opelucid City as a child. Being from a small, communal village, Iris had a very difficult time fitting in. At the end of the episode, Iris learns that Drayden went to talk to her village elder while she was still enrolled and the two decided she would inherit the Gym from Drayden.

The majority of the Gym Leaders in Black and White reprise their roles as Gym Leaders, though others (Cilan, Chili, Cress, Lenora, Brycen, and Iris) are no longer Gym Leaders and appear in the sequels in a different capacity.

Cheren, one of the player character's two rivals in Black and White, is the Aspertia City Gym Leader in Black 2 and White 2, now specializing in Normal-types. During this time, he is Unova's newest Gym Leader, with his first Gym Battle being against the player.

Roxie[4] (Homika (ホミカ)): Roxie is the Gym Leader of Virbank City and specializes in Poison-Type Pokémon. Her gym is a music club and she is often seen with her signature bass guitar that looks like a Scolipede.[5] Roxie debuts in the anime in the first season finale of the Japanese Pocket Monsters: Best Wishes! broadcast; Ash challenges her for his eighth Unova League Gym Badge, as Opelucid City was not accessible.

Marlon (Shizui (シズイ)): Marlon is the Gym Leader of Humilau City and is a specialist in Water-Type Pokémon. Inside his gym is a gigantic pond filled with lilypads that the player must navigate around on. In the Japanese edition, he speaks with a Kyushu accent. He is fond of giving advice to new trainers, and does things at his own pace, which sometimes makes him appear dim-witted.[6]

Viola(ビオラ,Biora): Viola is the Santalune City (Hakudan City (ハクダンシティ,Hakudan Shiti)) Gym Leader, with the building her Gym is housed in filled with a spider web. She specializes in Bug Types and is also an accomplished photographer.

Grant (Zakuro (ザクロ)): Grant is a Rock Type Gym Leader of Cyllage City who enjoys mountain biking, rock climbing, and all kinds of sports. His gym is an enormous rock climbing tower at the top of which he resides.

Korrina (Corni (コルニ,Koruni)): Korrina is the Fighting Type Gym Leader of the seaside Shalour City (Shara City (シャラシティ,Shara Shiti)) who rides around on roller skates. She is knowledgeable about the secrets about Mega Evolution. Her gym is a roller rink.

Ramos (Fukuji (フクジ)): Ramos is the Grass Type Gym Leader of Courmaline City. He is an avid gardener and his gym is fraught with traps and puzzles based on plants. He also uses stereotypes of seniors, calling the player "sprout" as a pun on both the plant and the word used for "young person".

Clemont (Citron (シトロン,Shitoron)): Clemont is an Electric Type Gym Leader of Lumiose City who is interested in science and enjoys inventing things as much as spending time with his Pokémon. The player can also meet his younger sister Bonnie (Eureka (ユリーカ,Yurīka)). His gym is in the Lumiose Tower, accessible only through a series of quizzes and elevators. In the anime, both characters become Ash's travelling companions during his travels in Kalos, but Clemont initially hides his status as a Gym Leader, and Bonnie takes over Brock's infamous running gag, only she asks girls (except Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny) to marry her brother, and is removed by him out of embarrassment, instead of the other way around.

Valerie (Mache (マーシュ,Māshu)): Valerie is the Gym Leader of Laverre City who specializes in Fairy Type Pokémon. Her gym resembles a labyrinthine dollhouse that the player must navigate to find her. Originally hailing from the Johto region, she is a fashion designer who always wanted to be a Pokémon.

Olympia (Gojika (ゴジカ)): Olympia is the Psychic Type Gym Leader of Anistar City. Her Gym almost appears as if it is on another planet, and is hinted to be the result of her warping reality inside the gym with her psychic powers. She is a woman of few words.

Wulfric (Urup (ウルップ,Uruppu)): Wulfric is the Ice Type Gym Leader of Snowbelle City. The player first meets him at the Pokémon Village where he tells the player why it exists, before challenging the player at his Gym. He is very longwinded.

The Elite Four(四天王,Shitennō, lit. "Four Heavenly Kings") is an order of exceptionally skilled Pokémon trainers consisting of four member trainers of ascending rank. Like the Gym Leaders, they also specialize on a type of Pokémon but are far stronger. Most different regions possess their own organizations. The player must first defeat them all so that they may gain the right to challenge the 'Pokémon Champion'. The player must obtain all eight badges from each respective region's gym leaders.

The Kanto Elite Four act as the Elite Four in the original series of Pokémon games consisting of Pokémon Red, Blue, Green, and Yellow versions as well as in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen versions which act as remakes of the original games. Within the timeline of the game series they are eventually also given the status as the 'Johto Elite Four', as Johto shares its Pokémon league with Kanto. Specifically, this Elite Four is located on the Indigo Plateau, shared by both Kanto and Johto.

Lorelei (Kanna (カンナ)): Lorelei is a specialist of Ice-type Pokémon. She is originally from the Sevii Islands and she collects Pokémon Dolls. She appears in the Orange Islands series of the anime, where she is known as Prima in the English version. She is a villain in Pokémon Adventures, who attempts to take over the world with the other Elite Four. She later allies with Red and Blue to save her home.

Bruno (Shiba (シバ)): Bruno is an expert on Fighting-types, and a friend and training partner of Brawly. He constantly trains his own body along with his Pokémon, and he wishes to fight the best trainers in the world, which is why he is part of the group. He regularly trains on the Sevii Islands and utilizes the spa for his Pokémon. He appears in the first episode of the anime as a combatant on television, and he later meets Ash when he seeks out Bruno to learn of his "secret" to become a great trainer. Bruno is an unwilling villain in Pokémon Adventures, where he is forced by Agatha to fight for her. He later forms the Johto Elite Four with Will, Karen, and Koga. Bruno attaches his Poké Balls to the ends of a set of nunchaku, and unleashes his Pokémon at high speeds to give him an advantage.

Agatha (Kikuko (キクコ)): Agatha is an elderly woman who specializes in Ghost-type Pokémon. In the anime, she appears in the episode "The Scheme Team" where she is acting Gym Leader for the Viridian City Gym, defeating Ash in a battle. She is the main antagonist of the Yellow chapter of Pokémon Adventures. She attempts to destroy most of humanity from their base on Cerise Island. She controls Bruno against his will by utilizing the mind-controlling powers of her ghost Pokémon, and she is a former rival of Professor Oak, though their relationship eventually grew very bitter when he decided to pursue his own research career rather than stick with their group, which according to Oak, was only interested in finding new ways to control Pokémon, which the professor found unethical.

Lance (Wataru (ワタル)): Lance, known as one of the best Pokémon trainers in the world, specializes in dragon Pokémon. He is Clair's cousin, having previously trained with her in Blackthorn City. He helps the protagonist in the second generation games in the fight against Team Rocket. He appears in the anime, where he helps Ash's group defeat Team Rocket, catching a red Gyarados that is part of their experiments, and later helps to stop the battle between Groudon and Kyogre. He is an antagonist in Pokémon Adventures who wishes to destroy humanity due to all of the pollution and their hurting of Pokémon. He later becomes an ally of Silver, who he sends on various missions. He is promoted to a Pokémon League champion of the Indigo Plateau in the sequel games.

The Johto Elite Four act as the Elite Four in the original series of Pokémon games consisting of Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal versions as well as in Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver versions which act as remakes of the original games. Within the timeline of the games series, they become the successors of the Kanto Elite Four. Some of the members from the previous games return while others are replaced by new ones.

Will (Itsuki (イツキ)): Will is a Psychic-type specialist, who wears formal clothes and a mask. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, he was kidnapped by the Mask of Ice as a child and raised to be his servant. He is initially one of the leaders of Neo Team Rocket, but he eventually goes on to form the new Elite Four with Karen, Koga, and Bruno. He takes over Lorelei's place.

Koga, Fuchsia City Gym Leader in the Kanto-based versions of the games, is promoted to the Elite Four in Johto-based versions.

Bruno, member of the Elite Four in the Kanto-based games, retains his membership in the Elite Four in the Johto-based editions.

Karen (Karin (カリン)): Karen is a Dark-type specialist; she likes Dark-types because she finds their wild and tough nature appealing. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, she was kidnapped as a child and raised by Mask of Ice to be his servant. Like Will, she is initially a leader of Neo Team Rocket until she joins the others to form the new Elite Four. She takes over Agatha's place.

The Hoenn Elite Four act as the Elite Four in the original series of Pokémon games consisting of Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire.

Sidney (Kagetsu (カゲツ)): Dark-type specialist, who believes that the dark-side is beautiful, and that "might is right." He is always upbeat, and congratulates those who defeat him.

Phoebe (Fuyō (フヨウ)): is a Ghost-type specialist, whose grandparents are responsible for guarding the Blue, Red, and Green Orbs at Mt. Pyre. She takes control of Regice, together with Glacia, in the Pokémon Adventures manga.

Glacia (Prim (プリム,Purimu)): Ice-type specialist, who came to Hoenn while looking for a warmer climate that, as she claims, help her Pokémon grow strong.

Drake (Genji (ゲンジ)): Dragon-type specialist. He battles Ash in the anime, and he wins overwhelmingly due to Ash's overconfidence.

Aaron (Ryō (リョウ)): Aaron uses Bug Pokémon, calling them beautiful and perfect. He appears in the anime preparing for a championship battle against Cynthia. When he meets Ash, who tells him about his experience with Cynthia, Aaron tells Ash about how he abandoned his Wurmple during his youth. He does his best to train and understand Bug-types out of regret for his mistake. He is later shown to have lost his match.

Bertha (Kikuno (キクノ)): Bertha is an elderly Ground-type specialist. She appears in the anime along with Cynthia.

Flint (Ōba (オーバ)): Flint is a Fire-type specialist, who meets the protagonist in Sunyshore City. He is a friend of Volkner and he has a younger brother named Buck. Flint's also seen on TV battling Cynthia in the final episode of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.

Lucian (Goyō (ゴヨウ)): Lucian is a Psychic-type trainer, who is an avid reader. He battles with Dawn in the anime, and he is shown on television battling Cynthia.

Shauntal (Shikimi (シキミ)): Shauntal is a Ghost-Type Pokémon Trainer. Her hobby is writing books. She can also be seen at Cynthia's holiday home in Undella Town on occasion. According to one of her stories, she once battled Volkner.

Grimsley (Gīma (ギーマ)): Grimsley is a Dark-Type Pokémon Trainer. The son of a distinguished family that fell into ruin, he has since become an expert gambler.

Caitlin (Cattleya (カトレア,Katorea)): Caitlin is a Psychic-Type Pokémon Trainer; she is described as having psychic powers which she had trouble controlling in the past due to her explosive temper. She travels to the region of Unova to learn how to control them and become a better trainer. She previously appeared in the Generation IV games' Battle Frontier and was in charge of running the Battle Castle but was unable to battle, with her valet taking that responsibility in her place.

Marshal (Renbu (レンブ)): Marshal is a Fighting-Type Pokémon Trainer. He is one of Alder's apprentices.

Malva (Pachira (パキラ,Pakira)): Malva is a Fire-Type Pokémon Trainer. A hot-headed news reporter and a self-proclaimed star of the Holo Caster, she is also a former member of Team Flare and expresses animosity towards the player for the team's defeat. Looker later blackmails her into helping the player stop Xerosic's plans.

Siebold (Zumi (ズミ)): Siebold is a Water-Type Pokémon Trainer. He is a chef, whose customers notably include Valerie and Grant, and compares the art of cooking to the art of Pokémon battles.

Wikstrom (Gampi (ガンピ,Ganpi)): Wikstrom is a Steel-Type Pokémon Trainer. He wears a suit of armor and is eager to battle challengers.

Drasna (Dracaena (ドラセナ,Dorasena)): Drasna is a Dragon-Type Pokémon Trainer, inspired to train Dragon-types after her grandparents from Sinnoh told her about the region's mythology surrounding Dialga and Palkia. She is just happy to battle and enjoys it when trainers and their Pokémon like each other.

At the start of every game series, each region has their own respective regional League Champion. They are meant to be the strongest trainer within their own region and are far superior to the Elite Four or any Gym Leader. Their position of 'Pokémon Champion' is constantly open to challenge to any Pokémon trainer who gains eight badges and defeats the Elite Four, and once they defeat the Champion in a Pokémon battle, they automatically earn the title for themselves. Whenever the title of Champion is passed on, it is honored by an inauguration into the Hall of Fame.

Blue, the player's rival, serves as the Kanto League Champion in Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen. As a result of the player's victory in the previous games, in Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, he takes over the responsibilities as Viridian City Gym Leader.

Lance, member of the Kanto Elite Four, serves as the Johto League Champion in Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver.

Red, the player character from Red, Green, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen, is within the storyline of Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, still considered the champion of the Kanto Region, but Lance takes his position at the Pokémon League. Red appears as a final boss in the game in Mt. Silver, only accessible after defeating all eight Gym Leaders of the Kanto Region. Red also appears in Black 2 and White 2‍ '​s Pokémon World Tournament in the Champions Tournament alongside Blue, Lance, Steven, Wallace, Cynthia, and Alder.

Steven Stone (Daigo Tsuwabuki (ツワブキ ダイゴ,Tsuwabuki Daigo)): Steven is the Champion of the Hoenn League in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, Omega Ruby, and Alpha Sapphire, and the son of Mr. Stone of the Devon Corporation. He has a passion for rare stones, and he constantly travels in search of them. Later in Emerald, he leaves his post as Champion to continue his search for the rare stones. Steven also makes several cameo appearances in HeartGold and SoulSilver. His team is made up of mainly Steel-type Pokémon.

Wallace, Sootopolis City Gym Leader in Ruby and Sapphire, is the Champion of the Hoenn League in Emerald, replacing Steven who was only holding Wallace's place as Wallace felt he should have been closer to the Cave of Origin, as he is its guardian. In Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, he has an unnamed older sister and a niece, Lisia.

Cynthia (Shirona (シロナ)): Cynthia is the Sinnoh League Champion, who uses mostly female Pokémon. She is very interested in mythology and history, and spends her time researching and exploring various sites associated with Legendary Pokémon of the Sinnoh region. In the game, she helps the protagonist fight against Team Galactic, and she also assists them once Giratina appears and takes Cyrus into the Distortion World. While she does not have a particular associated Pokémon type preference, her signature Pokémon is Garchomp. In the anime, Ash first meets with Cynthia after she defeats Paul in a battle; she later helps the group fight against Team Galactic. In Black and White, and their sequels, Cynthia travels to Undella Town for vacation in the spring and summer, where the player can battle her.

Alder (Adeku (アデク)): Alder is the former Champion of the Unova League, who helps the player battle Team Plasma throughout Unova. N successfully challenges him to battle and wins, forcing the player to fight N. The player can later challenge Alder after finishing the main story of the game. While he does not specialize in a particular Pokémon type, half of his Pokémon are Bug-types, and his signature Pokémon is Volcarona. He later reveals he had another Volcarona that died before the games begin. He retires from his position by the time Black 2 and White 2 take place, but can be battled in his home in Floccesy Town after the player has completed the main story.

Iris, the Opelucid City Gym Leader in White, serves as the Champion of the Unova League in Black 2 and White 2, replacing Alder after defeating him. While she keeps her Dragon-type specialization, she does have some non-Dragon-type Pokémon in her team.

Diantha (Carnet (カルネ,Karune)): Diantha is the Kalos League Champion, but she does not reveal this to the player when they first meet in Lumiose City. She is known in the Kalos Region as a popular celebrity, appearing in films and advertisements, but it is not until the end of the game does the player discover her place in the Pokémon League. She does not specialize in a particular Pokémon type, but her signature Pokémon is her Mega Gardevoir.

The Frontier Brains(フロンティアブレーン,Furontia Burēn) are a group of powerful Pokémon trainers from the Battle Frontier that appears in Pokémon Emerald, Pokémon Platinum, and Pokémon HeartGold and SoulSilver. Each Brain resides at a Frontier facility and has his or her own title. After defeating a Frontier Brain, the trainer will receive a Silver Symbol (1st time) or Gold Symbol (2nd time). In Platinum, the trainer will receive a Silver Medal (1st time) or Colored Medal (2nd time).

In the anime, Ash Ketchum travels the land of Kanto after his journey in Hoenn, defeating the Frontier Brains. Instead of being on the Battle Frontier island, the facilities are in cities in Kanto.

In the Pokémon Adventures manga, a mysterious boy called Emerald, who has a connection with Latias and Latios, comes to the Battle Frontier island to defeat the Frontier Brains. Todd, a character from the anime and the Pokémon Snap games, watches Emerald go through the frontier. Similarly, Platinum Berlitz challenges the Frontier Brains of Sinnoh alongside Looker in order to learn more about the Distortion World in a later chapter of the manga.

Factory Head Noland (Factory Head Datsura (ファクトリーヘッド ダツラ,Fakutorī Heddo Datsura)) resides in the Battle Factory in Hoenn. As the Factory Head, he is able to view the Battle Swap data of any trainer and advocates gaining experience rather than relying solely on acquired knowledge. Noland battles with a randomly selected team each time he is challenged, which can include any Pokémon except those that are not admissible in the Battle Frontier. He hands out the Knowledge Symbol. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, he is the first to battle with Emerald and is in charge of the raising and caring for all the rental Pokémon.

Arena Tycoon Greta (Arena Captain Kogomi (アリーナキャプテン コゴミ,Arīna Kyaputen Kogomi)) resides in the Battle Arena. A blunt girl who likes to face powerful trainers; she hands out the Guts Symbol to those who defeat her.

Dome Ace Tucker (Dome Superstar Heath (ドームスーパースター ヒース,Dōmu Sūpāsutā Hīsu)) resides in the Battle Dome. Tucker prefaces battles with narcissistic comments, and enjoys the sound of a crowd chanting his name. He uses Pokémon that are one of a kind, for example, the final evolutions of starter Pokémon. He turns over the Tactics Symbol.

Pike Queen Lucy (Tube Queen Azami (チューブクイーン アザミ,Chūbu Kuīn Azami)) resides in the Battle Pike. Lucy prefers to use serpent-like Pokémon. She is very tall, quiet and pale, with knee length black hair and sharp looking eyes. Never saying much, defeated or otherwise, she does state that it took a great deal of work to get to her level of skill. Instead of a series of battles like the other facilities, Lucy's Pike consists of rooms that randomly have either a double battle, a wild Pokémon, a healing station, a trainer battle, or a random conversation. She hands over the Luck Symbol. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, she is the second to battle with Emerald.

Palace Maven Spenser (Palace Guardian Ukon (パレスガーディアン ウコン,Paresu Gādian Ukon)) resides in the Battle Palace. In Pokémon Adventures, he once touched the Blue Orb, which controls Kyogre, so he can tell who also has touched it. When battling him, Emerald is not allowed to issue commands to his Pokémon, who must battle based on their instincts and sense of strategy; challenges against Spenser require the trainer to have faith in the Pokémon he has chosen. He hands out the Spirit Symbol.

Pyramid King Brandon (Pyramid King Jindai (ピラミッドキング ジンダイ,Piramiddo Kingu Jindai)) resides in the Battle Pyramid. A man who appreciates the grand life of an explorer, he uses trios of Legendary Pokémon. In Pokémon Adventures, he remarks that he favours one-hit knockout moves and had captured Regirock, Regice, and Registeel after the trio disappeared following the battle in Hoenn to stop Groudon and Kyogre. In the anime, Ash notably faces Brandon several times before finally defeating him as the final Frontier Brain. Brandon hands out the Bravery Symbol.

Salon Maiden Anabel (Tower Tycoon Lila (タワータイクーン リラ,Tawā Taikūn Rira)) resides in the Battle Tower. She uses a variety of Pokémon. In the manga, she is the leader of the Frontier Brains, and her Battle Tower is considered "special". In the anime, Ash challenges her before Pyramid King Brandon. After Ash and Anabel's battle, there is a hint as if Anabel had fallen in love with Ash. She gives the Ability Symbol.

Tower Tycoon Palmer (Tower Tycoon Kurotsugu (タワータイクーン クロツグ,Tawā Taikūn Kurotsugu)) resides in the Battle Tower in Sinnoh and later, in Johto. He was first introduced in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl as the leader of the Battle Tower, which was later incorporated into Pokémon Platinum‍ '​s Battle Frontier. He gives away the Silver Tower Print to trainers that defeat him once, and the Gold Tower Print to trainers that beat him twice.

Factory Head Thorton (Factory Head Nejiki (ファクトリーヘッド ネジキ,Fakutorī Heddo Nejiki)) resides in the Battle Factory in Sinnoh and later, in Johto. Like Factory Head Noland, Thorton's team is randomly selected each time he is challenged and can include any Pokémon except those inadmissible to the Battle Frontier. He gives away the Silver Factory Print to trainers that defeat him once and the Gold Factory Print to trainers that defeat him twice.

Hall Matron Argenta (Stage Madonna Kate (ステージマドンナ ケイト,Sutēji Madonna Keito)) resides in the Battle Hall in Sinnoh and later, in Johto. Argenta uses a strange strategy to test trainers and forces them to choose one Pokémon to battle 10 Pokémon of each type during their challenge. She gives away the Silver Hall Print to trainers that defeat her once, and the Gold Hall Print to trainers that beat her twice.

Castle Valet Darach (Castle Butler Cochran (キャッスルバトラー コクラン,Kyassuru Batorā Kokuran)) and Lady Caitlin (Cattleya (カトレア,Katoreya)) reside in the Battle Castle in Sinnoh and later, in Johto. Darach is the butler of Caitlin, who is the one in charge of running the facility by determining how much Castle Points (CP) are awarded to the player in the castle. He fights in her place using her Pokémon. Managing and using CP is an important factor for this facility. Darach gives away the Silver Castle Print to trainers that defeat him once, and the Gold Castle Print to trainers that beat him twice.

Arcade Star Dahlia (Roulette Goddess Dahlia (ルーレットゴーデス ダリア,Rūretto Gōdesu Daria)) resides in the Battle Arcade in Sinnoh and later, in Johto. Her challenge consists in using a roulette simulator that randomly chooses a special condition for the upcoming battle. She gives away the Silver Arcade Print to trainers that defeat her once, and the Gold Arcade Print to trainers that beat her twice. She is also known to be a great dancer according to some trainers at her facility.

Similar to the Battle Towers and Battle Frontiers of the third and fourth generations, the Battle Subway(バトルサブウェイ,Batoru Sabuwei) is a venue in Pokémon Black and White where the player can fight a series of trainers in succession, before eventually challenging the Subway Bosses (Subway Masters (サブウェイマスター,Sabuwei Masutā)).[7]

Ingo (Nobori (ノボリ)) is the Subway Boss for the two Single Battle lines.

Emmet (Kudari (クダリ)) is the Subway Boss for the two Double Battle lines.

When challenging the two Multi Battle lines (two players or one player with an NPC challenging two NPCs), both Emmet and Ingo are fought in a Multi Battle.

In Pokémon X and Y, the Battle Maison is introduced as a new system where the bosses are the sister Battle Chatelaines (バトルシャトレーヌ,Batoru Shatorēnu). Each serves as a leader of a different type of battle style and are faced after winning a series of battles against other trainers in succession.

Nita (Lanuit (ラニュイ,Ranyui)) is the Battle Chatelaine for Single Battles.

Evelyn (Lesoir (ルスワール,Rusuwāru)) is the Battle Chatelaine for Double Battles.

Dana (Lajournée (ラジュルネ,Rajurune)) is the Battle Chatelaine for Triple Battles.

Morgan (Lematin (ルミタン,Rumitan)) is the Battle Chatelaine for Rotation Battles.

When challenging the Multi Battle system, the sisters pair up amongst each other.

Giovanni is the leader of Team Rocket, in addition to his position as Viridian City Gym Leader. After being defeated by the player as Gym Leader, he decides to disband Team Rocket. In a side-quest in HeartGold and SoulSilver, the player battles Giovanni as he is called by the re-formed Team Rocket of Johto.

Jessie (Musashi (ムサシ)) and James (Kojirō (コジロウ)): Jessie and James are two operatives of Team Rocket who are the main antagonists of the anime, along with their talking Meowth partner. They appear as mini-bosses in Pokémon Yellow.

Archer (Apollo (アポロ,Aporo)): The head executive of the re-formed Team Rocket in Johto. He seeks to reunite Team Rocket and bring Giovanni back into the fold. In the Pokémon Adventures manga, he seeks to create Arceus to complete his goals.

Ariana (Athena (アテナ,Atena)): One of the other Team Rocket executives in Johto. She claims herself to be the interim leader of Team Rocket.

Petrel (Lambda (ラムダ,Ramuda)): One of the other Team Rocket executives in Johto. He is a master of disguise and is not as evil-minded as the other Team Rocket executives.

Proton (Lance (ランス,Ransu)): One of the other Team Rocket executives in Johto. He is the most ruthless of the executives, leading the operation in the Slowpoke's Well, but is admired by the others for his actions.

Team Aqua(アクア団,Akua-dan) and Team Magma(マグマ団,Maguma-dan) are two opposing groups that each seek to cause huge alterations to the planet's ecosystem. Aqua wishes to expand the seas by awakening Kyogre, and Magma wants to expand the lands through the use of Groudon. In Sapphire and Alpha Sapphire, Team Magma is an ally to the player, while in Ruby and Omega Ruby, Team Aqua is the player's ally. In Emerald, both of the groups are enemies.

Archie (Aogiri (アオギリ)): The leader of Team Aqua, leading the group in their goal of waking Kyogre to flood the world and expand the oceans to make it a better place.

Matt (Ushio (ウシオ)): One of Team Aqua's administrators. He leads the group in its acquisition of a meteorite from Meteor Falls to advance the team's plans.

Shelly (Izumi (イズミ)): One of Team Aqua's administrators. She leads the group in attacking the Weather Institute to steal the weather-controlling Pokémon Castform.

Maxie (Matsubusa (マツブサ)): The leader of Team Magma, leading the group in their goal of waking Groudon to cause a drought to dry out the oceans and expand landmasses to make the world a better place.

Courtney (Kagari (カガリ)): One of Team Magma's administrators. She leads the group in attacking the Weather Institute to steal the weather-controlling Pokémon Castform.

Tabitha (Homura (ホムラ)): One of Team Magma's administrators. He leads the group in its acquisition of a meteorite from Meteor Falls to advance the team's plans. He is also involved in attempting to use the Mossdeep Space Center for Team Magma's plans.

Team Galactic(ギンガ団,Ginga-dan) first appear in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl, being the evil team tormenting the region of Sinnoh. They desire to reshape time and space to their preferred designs by making a red chain to control Dialga and Palkia to attempt create a new universe, kidnapping Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf for their plans. In the video games, they appear to only want Dialga in Diamond or they only want Palkia in Pearl. In Pokémon Platinum, they want both but are stopped when Giratina comes out of the Distortion World and drags everything back in with it. In the anime series, They are almost successful in creating a new universe, but are stopped when Ash and his friends destroy the red chains, forcing Cyrus to step into the "new universe" as it collapses. Later, Looker arrests Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Charon, causing Mars to exclaim that "... this is the end of Team Galactic."

Cyrus (Akagi (アカギ)): The leader of Team Galactic. Although it appears he wants to work with his team to create a new universe, he really wants to create the universe solely for himself, making it one devoid of emotions that he sees as weak and useless.

Mars(マーズ,Māzu): One of Team Galactic's commanders. She leads the group's actions at the Valley Windworks and also the assault at Lake Verity. In Platinum, she displays a dislike towards Charon and quits Team Galactic afterwards, looking to save Cyrus from the Distortion World.

Jupiter(ジュピター,Jupitā): One of Team Galactic's commanders. She leads the team at Eterna City's headquarters when they are investigating the city's Pokémon statue and the assault at Lake Acuity. In Platinum, after Mars quits, Jupiter decides to leave Team Galactic as well.

Saturn(サターン,Satān): One of Team Galactic's commanders. He leads the operations at Lake Valor as well as the group's headquarters in Veilstone City. After Cyrus's defeat, he decides to lead Team Galactic on a more virtuous mission of seeking alternative energy sources.

Charon (Pluto (プルート,Purūto)): One of Team Galactic's commanders, introduced in Platinum. He designs the devices that allow the group to control Uxie, Mesprit, and Azelf and bring forth Giratina. He later tries to lead the group in obtaining the power of Heatran, but the player defeats him and he is arrested by Looker. The player can read his notes and it is hinted that he befriended the Rotom found near Eterna City.

Team Plasma(プラズマ団,Purazuma-dan) is the antagonistic group in Pokémon Black and White who seeks to separate Pokémon from humans. They are led by a boy known only as N and the Seven Sages who will capture Reshiram in White and Zekrom in Black (the player will capture the opposite colored one), intending to use the Dragon Pokémon to force people to abandon capturing Pokémon. In reality, N is a pawn used by his adoptive father Ghetsis, one of the Seven Sages, who raised him for the sole purpose of being able to tame the legendary Pokémon and then disposing of him, so that he can take control of Unova. Two years after Ghetsis's defeat and N's departure from Unova, Team Plasma reforms itself with its true intentions at the forefront, intending to use the power of Kyurem to take over the Unova Region and the rest of the world.

N(エヌ,Enu): N is one of the antagonists in Pokémon Black and White. He is a very mysterious trainer who shows up at random and inconvenient times and believes that all humans and Pokémon should be separated. He is almost always seen using Pokémon that can only be found in the area that he is fought in. He is later revealed to be the 'king' of Team Plasma. He was forced to grow up with abused Pokémon, as a plot by his adoptive father, Ghetsis, so that he would want to liberate all Pokémon from humans. By following through with the plan, he captures either Zekrom or Reshiram (depending on the game version) in order to show the world his power so that they will follow through with his plan to liberate all Pokémon. N returns in Black 2 and White 2 in a supporting role, enabling the games' mascot Kyurem to transform into its iconic form for the game version. In the end game, N can be challenged, using his legendary Pokémon from the previous game, and upon defeat the Dragon transforms into a Key Item the player can use to capture the Dragon himself or herself. After another in-game event, N becomes a character the player can challenge on a monthly basis, with the team changing with the games' seasonal cycle. His full name is Natural Harmonia Gropius (ナチュラル・ハルモニア・グロピウス,Nachuraru Harumonia Guropiusu).

Ghetsis (G-Cis (ゲーチス,Gēchisu)): Ghetsis is the true leader of Team Plasma, and N's father, having raised the boy to serve as a charismatic leader while secretly running the true operations of the group behind the boy's back. For much of Black and White, he presents himself as a seemingly benevolent, well-meaning figure, but is steadily hinted at - and ultimately revealed as - the main villain of both sets of games and the main antagonist, rather than N. When N was only a child, Ghetsis kept him away from humans and closer to abused Pokémon, so that he would later develop resentment against humans who live side-by-side with their Pokémon and not realise how many good people actually existed. Because of this, Ghetsis was able to easily manipulate N into believing that he would be the "hero" that would help free all the Pokémon world from their owners. Afterwards, it is implied that Ghetsis planned to get rid of N once he had accomplished his mission: becoming the sole controller of Unova's Pokémon. However, the actions of the player - who has helped inspire N to see beyond his old views - lead to N's defeat. This infuriates Ghetsis, who reveals his true colors and attempts to stop the player himself. After his defeat he begins losing his mind, but retains enough clarity to escape with the help of his loyal servants, the Shadow Triad. In Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, Ghetsis returns as the new leader of Team Plasma. When met, he will state that Kyurem is an empty shell, and that he will pour his ambitions into that shell. In Giant Chasm, he will command Kyurem to freeze the player alive with the Pokémon's signature move, Glaciate, but will be stopped by N. Unfortunately, he predicted that N's love for Pokémon will lead him to Kyurem and then merges Kyurem and Zekrom (Black 2) or Reshiram (White 2) to create Black Kyurem (Black 2) or White Kyurem (White 2), respectively. After Black/White Kyurem is defeated, Ghetsis then challenges the player to a battle. After losing, he loses the last of his sanity and the Shadow Triad move him away - later revealing that his mind has completely broken from the shock of his failures. His full name is Ghetsis Harmonia (ゲーチス・ハルモニア,Gēēchisu Harumonia, G-Cis Harmonia in Japanese).

The Seven Sages(七賢人,Shichi Kenjin): The high-ranking members of Team Plasma. Throughout the course of the gameplay, the player encounters each of the sages but will not be able to battle them. After the defeat of N and before becoming the Pokémon Champion, the player must locate all of the Sages scattered throughout the Unova region. Ghetsis is the leader of the Seven Sages. The other Sages consist of:

Zinzolin (Vio (ヴィオ)): Associated with the color purple. He returns in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 under Ghetsis' Team Plasma, and battles the player at several points in the game. He is a specialist in Ice-type Pokémon, which is odd for someone who does not like the cold.

Ryoku (Ryokushi (リョクシ)): Associated with the color green.

Giallo(ジャロ,Jaro): Associated with the color yellow.

Rood (Rot (ロット,Rotto)): Associated with the color red. He returns in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2 as part of the old Team Plasma, and is battled at their warehouse in Driftveil City. He seems to specialize in the Normal Type. He entrusts N's Zorua into the player's care, and assists the player at the Giant Chasm against Ghetsis' faction.

Bronius (Sumura (スムラ)): Assoiated with the color brown.

Gorm (Asura (アスラ)): Associated with the color blue.

The Shadow Triad ("Dark Trinity" (ダークトリニティ,Dāku Toriniti)): Three ninja-like young men who are Ghetsis's faithful servants because he once saved their lives. They have the ability to teleport, and usually "escort" the player to N or Ghetsis.[8] After Ghetsis's defeat and arrest (and later unexplained break-out), the Shadow Triad appears one last time on the Marvelous Bridge, where they explain that Ghetsis ordered them to bring the player the 3 Orbs of Dialga, Palkia and Giratina (Adamant, Lustrous and Griseous, respectively) and that despite their loyalty to him, he has ordered them to not look for him. The Shadow Triad were once rumored to be the Striaton City Gym Leaders Cilan, Cress, and Chili.[8] The Shadow Triad returns in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2, and battles the player several times in the game. They are also revealed to possess a Liepard which had evolved from a Purrloin which was stolen from the rival character's younger sister five years earlier, leading him to foster a deep hatred for the organization. At first, this includes Rood's faction as well. After Team Plasma disbands, the Triad remains at Icirrus City, where they can be challenged on a monthly basis. Using the Unova Link Function unlocks a cutscene involving Cilan, Chili, and Cress fighting against The Shadow Triad (and losing) - thus disbanding the rumors that the two groups are one in the same.

Anthea (the Goddess of Love (愛の女神,Ai no Megami)) and Concordia (the Goddess of Peace (平和の女神,Heiwa no Megami)): Two characters who appear towards the end of the main story of Black and White who serve N. Concordia tells the player the story of N and how Ghetsis raised him, while Anthea heals the player's Pokémon in preparation for the final battle against N.[8] They can also be seen in the game's first opening sequence where they watch as N is crowned as the king of Team Plasma by Ghetsis. It was revealed that Anthea and Concordia are N's foster Sisters. They appear in Black 2 and White 2 in Rood's Pokémon volunteer house in Driftveil City, where they tell the player of Ghetsis' ambitions and what he did to further them, as well as N's early childhood before Ghetsis found him. According to them, N had spent this part of his life in a forest with a Darmanitan and a Zorua (the latter of which can be acquired from Rood) as he had distressed people with an unusual ability to commune with Pokémon.

Colress (Achroma (アクロマ,Akuroma)): Colress is an independent Pokémon researcher in Black 2 and White 2, who works to learn about the powers of Pokémon and tries to bring out the true strength within them. He battles the player several times throughout the game to test the player's ability and the power of the player's Pokémon. He eventually aligns with Team Plasma, as they will allow him to study Pokémon the way he wishes. After Team Plasma is defeated, again, he helps the group reform their ways. He can then be battled at the P2 Laboratory. He has a larger antagonistic role in the anime, as he is building a device that would allow Ghetsis to control Reshiram, and he takes control of various Pokémon, including Team Rocket's Meowth, in an effort to fine tune it.

Team Flare(フレア団,Furea-dan) is the evil team appearing in Pokémon X and Y. Their main goal is to "create a beautiful world", which eventually manifests itself into mass genocide of all human and Pokémon life but themselves, using an ancient weapon once used by a king of Kalos, an ancestor of their leader Lysandre, from 3000 years ago.

Lysandre (Fleur-de-Lis (フラダリ,Furadari)): The leader of Team Flare, seeking to attain eternal beauty. He follows the player's progress closely, seeking the player in his plans, and revealing the history of Kalos and the king AZ, his ancestor, who nearly wiped out all life. After his identity as Team Flare's leader is revealed, he admits that he wishes to use his ancestor's weapon to either grant humanity immortality in order to rebuild the planet into a more beautiful place in X or wipe out all human life to preserve the beauty of the planet for all eternity in Y, believing the Mega Ring to be central to his plans. The player ultimately defeats Lysandre, and when Lysandre attempts to activate the weapon in order to force immortality on the player and his/her friends in X or kill everyone in the building in Y, despite the player having captured its power source Xerneas (X)/Yveltal (Y), the weapon crumbles and destroys the headquarters. Although the player and his/her friends, as well as most of the members of Team Flare, manage to escape, Lysandre is never seen escaping the destruction, leaving his ultimate fate unknown.

Aliana (Akebi (アケビ)): One of Team Flare's scientists. She leads the group in their infiltration of Kalos's Power Plant.

Byrony (Bara (バラ)): One of Team Flare's scientists. She and Celosia lead the group in their attack on the Poké Ball Factory.

Celosia (Correa (コレア,Korea)): One of Team Flare's scientists. She and Byrony lead the group in their attack on the Poké Ball Factory.

Mable (Momiji (モミジ)): One of Team Flare's scientists. She leads the group in their Frost Cavern operations, angering a native Abomasnow.

Xerosic (Xerosicy (クセロシキ,Kuseroshiki)): One of Team Flare's scientists. He is the group's head scientist, leading the building of the ultimate weapon. He also creates the Expansion Suit and kidnaps Emma to be its user.

Evice (Wardack (ワルダック,Warudakku)): The ruler of Cipher during Colosseum. He disguises himself as Phenac City's mayor Es Cade (Buckley (バックレー,Bakkurē)). He is later revealed to be their leader after having built Realgam Tower to lure people to watch Shadow Pokémon battles.

Nascour (Jakira (ジャキラ)): The shadow-leader of Cipher, leading the group while Evice's identity remains a secret.

Miror B. (Mirror Bo (ミラーボ,Mirābo)): One of Cipher's admins in Colosseum. He is a dancing criminal with a large afro resembling a Pokéball. He returns in XD, no longer affiliated with Cipher.

Mirakle B. (Miraklebo (ミラクルボ,Mirakurubo)): The self-styled successor of Miror B. after Miror B.'s defeat at the player's hands in Colosseum.

Dakim(ダキム,Dakimu): One of Cipher's admins in Colosseum. He is a muscular and violent man with very strong Pokémon who appears to serve as an enforcer.

Venus(ヴィーナス,Vīnasu): One of Cipher's admins in Colosseum. She is a beautiful and popular woman who has control over the town of The Under and has her own TV show.

Ein (Borg (ボルグ,Borugu)): Once of Cipher's admins and their chief scientist in Colosseum. He is responsible for creating Shadow Pokémon.

Greevil (Deathgold (デスゴルド,Desugorudo)): The true leader and financial benefactor of the revived Cipher in XD. He disguises himself as Mr. Verich (Mecharich (メチャリッチ,Mecharitchi)) at first, a benefactor of sailors at Gateon Port, before his true identity as Cipher's leader is revealed.

Ardos(アルドス,Arudosu): One of Cipher's admins in XD. He is one of Grandmaster Greevil's two sons and most supportive of Cipher's goals. After Cipher is officially disbanded he seeks to revive it himself.

Eldes(エルデス,Erudesu): One of Cipher's admins in XD. He is Greevil's other son who convinces his father to disband Cipher after its defeat.

Gorigan(ゴリガン): One of Cipher's admins in XD. He is an engineer who walks like a monkey and oversees a factory that produces Shadow Pokémon.

Lovrina(ラブリナ,Raburina): One of Cipher's admins in XD. She is chief scientist of the second form of Cipher, tasked with refining the Shadow Pokémon creation process. She has a very girly personality, but is described by her subordinates as "terrifying".

Snattle (Wazzle (ワズル,Wazuru)): One of Cipher's admins in XD. He seeks to be installed as Governor of Orre, presumably to grant Cipher political control of the region through him.

Team Snagem (Team Snatch (スナッチ団,Sunatchi-dan)) is another villainous organization in Pokémon Colosseum and Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. They developed the Snag Machine technology, allowing them to steal already captured Pokémon from other trainers. However, their prototype in Colosseum is stolen by the player character, a former member of the group.

Gonzap (Helgonza (ヘルゴンザ,Herugonza)): Team Snagem's leader. In Colosseum, he is angered by the player's betrayal after the player steals the one arm-mounted Snag Machine and the group's larger Snag Machine. In XD, after the player's Snag Machine is stolen by Gonzap's men and the player defeats Gonzap, he returns it to the player, noting that it would not work for him because of his size. He later assists the player in their fight against Cipher.

The Pokémon Professors give new Pokémon trainers a starting Pokémon appropriate to their region, and entrust them with a task (be it completing a Pokédex, delivering an object, or otherwise offering encouragement). They are also leading researchers of Pokémon-related topics, and mentor Pokémon trainers in a general way. It's interesting to note that almost all Pokémon Professors are named after trees: Oak, Ivy, Elm, Birch, Rowan, Juniper, and Sycamore, with the exception of Professor Hastings.

Professor Samuel Oak (Professor Yukinari Ōkido (オーキド・ユキナリ博士,Ōkido Yukinari-hakase)): A Pokémon researcher and the grandfather of Gary Oak/Blue/the rival in Pokémon Red, Blue, Yellow, FireRed, and LeafGreen. He is often considered the leading Pokémon expert, often giving lectures to Pokémon academies and hosting a radio show in Goldenrod City, and specializes in Pokémon behaviorial science. Alongside his research, he is also authorized by the Pokémon League to give new Pokémon trainers one of the three Kanto starter Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander. In the anime, he gives Ash his Pikachu after Ash arrives too late to receive one of the usual three starter Pokémon. In Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition, he simply gives the player a Pikachu after the rival takes the Eevee that Oak intended to give the player. He is a master Pokémon poet. All Pokémon he "baby-sits" are loyal to him, and he had a Charmeleon as a young boy. In Pokémon 4Ever, it is shown that he traveled forward in time to the future when he was a boy, and Ash became friends with him. When Ash tells Professor Oak about him, he replies that he is sure that "Sammy" will always be his friend, even though Misty later realizes that Ash never told him his name; the current Professor Oak is later seen looking through a book of old drawings he made as a kid (the predecessor to the Pokédex, which he invented with the other professors).

Professor Felina Ivy (Professor Uchikido (ウチキド博士,Uchikido-Hakase)): A Pokémon researcher. She is the leading researcher in the Orange Islands. In the anime, she gives Ash the GS Ball to deliver to Kurt, which eventually leads him to the Johto region. Brock ends up staying with her during the Orange Islands saga of the anime, but parts ways with her after that saga, on unexplained painful or unpleasant terms.

Professor Elm (Professor Utsugi (ウツギ博士,Utsugi-hakase)): An absent-minded Pokémon researcher, and former student of Professor Oak. In Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal, he is authorized by the Pokémon League to give new Pokémon trainers one of the three Johto starter Pokémon: Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile. He is also credited as discovering that Pikachu is an evolved Pokémon. In the Pokémon anime, Jessie, James and Meowth temporarily steal a Totodile from him, (in reality he tells them to take it, thinking they are Nurse Joy). His 'absent minded professor' stereotype is even more pronounced in the games as he often forgets to visit his family and his wife worries that he may not remember to eat. He specializes in research regarding Pokémon breeding and is credited with the discovery of Pokémon eggs.

Professor Krane(クレイン博士,Kurein-hakase): The Pokémon Professor in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness. Prior to the game's events, he worked with the player character Michael's father to perfect the Shadow Pokémon purification process, resulting in the Purification Chambers which are crucial in purifying XD001, the game's Shadow Lugia. While he does not give Michael his Eevee, he does give Michael the Master Ball.

Professor Rowan (Professor Nanakamado (ナナカマド博士,Nanakamado-hakase)): The Pokémon Professor in the Pokémon Diamond and Pearl games, having returned to Sinnoh after four years of traveling abroad. A senior researcher to and old friend of Professor Oak, Professor Rowan is known for his research on Pokémon evolution. He is authorized to give trainers one of three Sinnoh starter Pokémon, Turtwig, Chimchar, or Piplup. In the anime, he gives Dawn her Piplup.

Professor Aurea Juniper (Professor Araragi (アララギ博士,Araragi-hakase)): The Pokémon Professor in the Pokémon Black and White games, the only female professor to appear in the video game series. Professor Juniper specializes in research involving the origins of Pokémon. She is authorized by the Pokémon League to give new trainers one of three Unova starter Pokémon, Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott. In the game, she leaves a present at the player's house containing starter Pokémon for the player and the player's rivals, Bianca and Cheren. In the anime, she gives Trip a Snivy and allows Ash to keep an Oshawott that escapes from her lab. Her father, Cedric Juniper, was also a Pokémon Professor and has since retired; in the games, he upgrades the player's Pokédex to the National mode after the player defeats N and Ghetsis.

Professor Burnet(バーネット博士,Bānetto-hakase): A professor who appears in the 3DS application Pokémon Dream Radar, she studies the space that lies between dreams and reality. Burnet guides the player through the use of the application and aids by upgrading its features.

Professor Augustine Sycamore (Professor Platane (プラターヌ博士,Puratānu-hakase)): A professor who debuts in the Pokémon games Pokémon X and Y. He frequently battles the player from time to time. Unlike previous professors who gave out the regions' new starter Pokémon, Kalos's starter Pokémon Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie are given to one of the player character's friends. Instead, Professor Sycamore gives the player a choice amongst one of Kanto's starter Pokémon: Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle.

Bill (Masaki Sonezaki (ソネザキ マサキ,Sonezaki Masaki)): The inventor of the PC storage system in Kanto/Johto. In the games, he manages to turn himself into a human-Pokémon hybrid by accident. (This amazes the player's Pikachu in Pokémon Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition.) His favourite Pokémon are Eevee and its evolutions. According to FireRed and LeafGreen, Bill seems to be allergic to dairy products, and his first Pokémon was an Abra. In the anime, Bill was presented with green hair, but all other reincarnations of him included brown hair.

Celio (Nishiki (ニシキ)): a Pokémon storage system programmer and good friend of Bill who lives in the Sevii Islands. Celio runs the Pokémon Net Center on Knot Island in Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. He needs the player's help to finish the incomplete Pokémon Network machine. This machine is capable of transferring Pokémon between Kanto and Hoenn. To assist with this quest, Celio will give the Rainbow Pass and upgrade the Town Map so it shows the locations of the final four Sevii Islands.

Lanette (Mayumi (マユミ)): The inventor of Hoenn's storage system in the Pokémon games and developer of the new, more user-friendly storage system interface used in all Pokémon games since Ruby and Sapphire. It is implied in-game that she is close friends with Bill. The player can read an E-mail on Lanette's laptop from Bill complimenting her success with the Hoenn PC system. Her house is littered with books and she rewards visiting players with a doll, asking them not to tell anyone. In the Pokémon Adventures manga she, along with her sister, go to Kanto to upgrade its Pokémon storage system, and make it possible to exchange Pokémon with Hoenn.

Brigette (Azusa (アズサ)): The older sister of Lanette and the host of Pokémon Box: Ruby & Sapphire. She upgraded the Pokémon storage system with the ability to hold 1500 Pokémon, and the ability to select and move multiple Pokémon at once. She is also generous, and will give away Pokémon eggs containing special Pokémon if certain conditions are met. In the Pokémon Adventures manga she, along with her sister, go to Kanto to upgrade its Pokémon storage system, and make it possible to exchange Pokémon with Hoenn.

Bebe (Mizuki (ミズキ)): The inventor and manager of the PC storage system in Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum. She developed Sinnoh's Pokémon storage system based on the previous designs of Bill and Lanette. Her house, which is next to the Pokémon Center in Hearthome, is not quite as cluttered as Lanette's. Bebe is good friends with Hayley, who owns a ranch in which Pokémon can be stored, and they still keep in contact with each other. After the player obtains the National Dex, she will give them a level 5 Eevee. In Pokémon Platinum, the Eevee is available right away at level 20, without the need of the National Dex.

Amanita (Shōro (ショウロ)): The inventor and manager of the PC storage system in Pokémon Black and White. She is also Fennel's younger sister. She developed Unova's Pokémon storage system based on the designs of Bill, Lanette, and Bebe. Living in Striaton City, her system enables a player to keep up to 720 Pokémon, after the system is upgraded twice due to at least one Pokémon being placed in each of the 8 and then 16 boxes.

Cassius (Crocea (クロケア,Kurokea)): The administrator of the PC system in Pokémon X and Y, he was personally recommended for the job by Bill. He had invented the tray system for the Pokémon storage system. He tends to talk pretty rudely, but he likes his job. He is based in Camphrier Town, where the player can talk to his two assistants as well.

Mom(おかあさん,Okaasan): In each game in the series, the player character's mother appears as a supporting character. In each generation in the series, the mother serves a different role in gameplay, often giving the player special items or healing their Pokémon when they come home. In Johto region-based games, the player character's mother saves some of the money the player gets in battles, often buying gifts for the player. In Hoenn region-based games, both of the player character's parents appear in the game, their unnamed mother and their father Norman. In Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, the player's mother is named Johanna (Ayako (アヤコ)) and will sometimes appear in Pokémon Super Contests with her Kangaskhan Jumpy (Garu-chan (ガルちゃん)). The mother in Black and White was previously a trainer in her youth, and that was how she met the player character's father. In Black 2 and White 2, the mother is said to be a former Pokémon Center receptionist. In X and Y, the player character's mother is named Grace (Saki (サキ)) and is a former Rhyhorn racer, as the family Rhyhorn lives in the front yard.

Pokémon Fan Club(ポケモン大好きクラブ,Pokemon Daisuki Kurabu): The Pokémon Fan Club is a Pokémon lover association found throughout different regions. The chairman of the Kanto club loves Rapidash and Fearow, and he will easily talk about them at length. The Hoenn chairman travels all across the nation with his Fearow. The Sinnoh chairman is alone in his club due to his constant bragging.

Mr. Fuji(フジろうじん,Fuji Rōjin, lit. Elderly Fuji): Mr. Fuji is a kind old man who lives in Lavender Town, Kanto in the first generation games. He is the founder of the Cinnabar Island laboratory and a former friend of Blaine. He owns a Poké Flute and wishes for the happiness of all Pokémon. He becomes enraged after Team Rocket kills a Marowak, and he cares for the orphaned Cubone.

Cal (Hikaru (ヒカル/ひかる)): Cal is a travelling Pokémon Trainer who appears in Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold, and SoulSilver. He is a default character the player can battle in the Trainer House in Viridian City, which can be changed if the player uses the Mystery Gift feature in Gold, Silver, and Crystal or if the player connects their PokéWalker with another player's and resyncs it to their game in HeartGold and SoulSilver. Cal also appears in Pokémon Stadium 2 as a non-player character.

Carrie (Okuru (オクル)): Carrie is featured in the Mystery Gift menu of Pokémon Stadium 2, explaining the features before performing a Mystery Gift transfer with the player. If this is used, she will replace Cal or another player's team in the Trainer House in Gold, Silver, and Crystal.

Eusine (Minaki (ミナキ)), called Eugene in Pokémon Chronicles: Eusine is a self-declared Legendary Pokémon expert who appears in Pokémon Crystal. He searches for Suicune for a decade, and wishes to see it greatly.

Todd Snap (Tōru (トオル)): Todd is a Pokémon photographer who takes pictures of Pokémon in their natural habitat. He is the main character of Pokémon Snap, and he appears in the anime, where he is called "Snap" in the episodes aired outside the United States. He also appeared in Pokémon Yellow as a background character, because it is similar to the anime series. Voiced by: Yamaguchi Kappei (Japanese), Jimmy Zoppi (English)

Gabby and Ty (Mari & Dai (マリ&ダイ)): Gabby and Ty are a reporter/cameraman team, who interview the third generation protagonist, by way of a Pokémon battle, on multiple occasions.

Five trainers can join the main character during different events in the fourth generation games and all of the trainers each specialize in one particular stat. They are made up of Cheryl (Momi (モミ)), who is scared of Team Galactic; Riley (Gen (ゲン)), a senior protégé of Byron; Mira (Miru (ミル)), who wishes to be like the protagonist; Buck (Baku (バク)), the younger brother of Elite Four member Flint; and Marley (Mai (マイ)), a girl interested in the legendary Pokémon Shaymin. All five of these characters can be met later in the game at the Battle Tower.

"Looker" ("Handsome" (ハンサム,Hansamu)): "Looker" is a member of Interpol who appears in Pokémon Platinum investigating Team Galactic. He appears again in Black and White to seek the player's assistance in apprehending the seven sages of Team Plasma. During the events of Black 2 and White 2, he is in another region searching for N with player character of Black and White. In X and Y, he poses as a detective to investigate Xerosic, a Team Flare scientist. After you go to the Battle Maison in "Omega Ruby" and "Alpha Sapphire", you find Looker dazed and confused, and says that he just ended up there and doesn't know how or where he got to.

Fennel (Makomo (マコモ)): Fennel is a Pokémon professor in the Unova Region who studies Pokémon trainers as well as the dreams of Pokémon. The player encounters her when Team Plasma abducts a Munna from her research facility to use its Dream Mist powers to reach its goals. She gives players the C-Gear item as well as access to the Pokémon Dream World online system.

Morimoto(モリモト): Shigeki Morimoto is the director of Game Freak, and has been involved with the development of the Pokémon games since Red and Green. In Pokémon Black and White, he appears as a non-player character in Castelia City who the player can battle daily.

Benga: (Banjirō (バンジロウ)): Benga is Alder's grandson who appears in Pokémon Black 2 and White 2. He serves as the boss character in Black City's Black Tower (黒の摩天楼,Kuro no Matenrō) in Black 2 and White Forest's White Treehollow (白の樹洞,Shiro no Judō) in White 2, which have systems similar to the Battle Towers and Battle Frontiers of previous games.

Nishino(ニシノ): Koji Nishino is another director of Game Freak, involved in the development of the games since Red and Green. In Black 2 and White 2, he joins Morimoto as a non-player character in Castelia City who can also be battled.

Curtis (Tetsu (テツ)) & Yancy (Ruri (ルリ)): Curtis and Yancy appear as side characters in Black 2 and White 2 depending if the player chooses the female or male player character, respectively. The player finds his/her lost Xtransceiver and begins a friendship with the player character. In the end, the character serves as a way to receive Pokémon with rare abilities by trading, as their job as popular television personalities in the game named Christoph (Tenma (テンマ)) and Nancy (Rukko (ルッコ)), respectively, brings them to the other Pokémon regions.

In each of the games, there is a non-player character who appears in the foyer of Pokémon Gyms to give the player advice on how to beat the Gym Leader, congratulate the player on victory, and in recent games give the player an item to assist them in the battles. While this player is not named in the first 4 generations of the series, in Black and White he is given the name Clyde (Gaido (ガイドー,Gaidō)).

Alexa (Pansy (パンジー,Panjī)): Alexa is a journalist in X and Y who works at a publishing house in the central Lumiose City. Her younger sister is Viola, a Gym Leader.

AZ(AZ（エーゼット）,Ē Zetto): AZ is a mysterious man, noted for his great height at 9 feet (2.7 m) tall. When the player first meets him, he speaks of a "flower Pokémon" before leaving. The player later meets him when he is kidnapped by Lysandre, revealing the history of Kalos and a deadly weapon its ancient king once used to end a long war, only for the king's beloved Floette to leave him out of disgust. Lysandre reveals AZ and the king share the same name. After the player becomes the new Pokémon Champion, AZ challenges the player to a battle, after which AZ realizes the error of his ways and his Floette returns to him.

Emma (Matiere (マチエール,Machiēru)): Emma is a young girl who is central to the cases the player takes when working for Looker in X and Y. She and her Espurr Mimi (Mokō (もこお)) move into the offices. She is later kidnapped by Team Flare's Xerosic and made the Expansion Suit's wearer Essentia (Esprit (エスプリ,Espuri)), whom the player must fight to save her.

Aarune (Girī (ギリー)): Aarune is a character introduced in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire who tells the player about the Secret Base feature in the game.

Lisia (Lutia (ルチア,Ruchia): Lisia is a character introduced in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire as a Contest Idol in Hoenn. The player occasionally competes against Lisia and her Altaria Ali (Tylulu (チルル,Chiruru)) in the Master Rank Contests. She is eventually revealed to the player character to be Wallace's niece.

Zinnia (Higana (ヒガナ)): Zinnia is a character featured in the "Delta Episode" side quest in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. She has come to Hoenn from a faraway land in order to help stop a meteor from impacting the Earth, intending to capture Rayquaza to meet these goals. However, Rayquaza chooses the player instead, and the player is the one to stop the meteor.

These characters are actually a group of people with identical appearances (although Brock demonstrates the ability to tell the women apart). They do not individually recur, but they do appear in each town in Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova regions and the Orange Islands, an identical-looking and -sounding person with the same name filling the same role. Their identical appearance may be a reference to or parody of the identical sprites used in the video games, a common practice in video game RPGs.

Nurse Joy(ジョーイ,Jōi): A family of Pokémon nurses in the anime, all named Joy, who operate the various Pokémon Centers in the world of Pokémon. Because of their identical appearance, it is often difficult to tell one Nurse Joy from another. The Japanese name comes from the word joi(女医?, "woman doctor"). They often have Chansey nurses. Some can be singled out from the others due to trademark items but there are very few. In Pokémon Yellow, as well as Diamond and Pearl, Nurses resembling Nurse Joy work in the Pokémon Centers. Their English voice actresses are Megan Hollingshead (season 1-6), Erica Schroeder (using the alias of "Bella Hudson"; Seasons 7-8), and Michele Knotz (Season 9 onward). The only difference between all the Nurse Joys is that each Nurse Joy has a different color for the Red Cross on their hats. In the Unova Region, all Nurses Joy have a distinct appearance from their counterparts from other regions, with a slightly different hairstyle, pink clothes instead of white, and having an Audino for partner instead of a Chansey or Blissey.

In the video games, the Pokémon Center Nurses are mostly unnamed. A nurse in Platinum named Casey (Medi (メディ)) participates in Pokémon Super Contests with her Chansey Pinky (unnamed in Japan).

Officer Jenny (Junsar (ジュンサー,Junsā)): A family of police officers who are all police officers in the Pokémon anime, all named Jenny, who maintain law and order in the Pokémon world, often opposing members of Team Rocket. The Japanese name comes from the word junsa(巡査?, "police officer"). Officer Jennies are often accompanied by Growlithe or a particular Pokémon that is of importance in a town or a personal preference to that Jenny, such as a Wobbuffet or Spinarak. There are also many with trademark items to differentiate some, but are just as few as the Joys. The only differences are the symbols on their hats and their uniforms (which are different depending on their region). They make an appearance in Yellow, replacing the male police officer, and later to give the player a Squirtle. They are voiced by Chinami Nishimura (Japanese), and in English by Lee Quick (Seasons 1-6), Jamie Davyous Owens (Season 7-8), Diane Stillwell (MoMP) Emily Williams in late Season 9 and onward, Maya Rosewood played her in a Season 9 episode, and Kayzie Rodgers (aka Jamie Peacock) voiced her in The Mastermind of Mirage Pokémon. An Officer Jenny trains a rookie detective Marble whose voice actresses are that of Meghan McCracken (English) and Chinami Nishimura (Japanese). In the Unova Region, all Jenny Officers have a distinct appearance from their counterparts from other regions, with their hair shorter and a different uniform.

Don George(ドン・ジョージ,Don Jōji): A family of identical brothers introduced in the Best Wishes! anime series. Each of them runs a Pokémon Battle Club in a different location of Unova, where trainers gather to challenge other trainers and engage into special training with their Pokémon. Each wears a black gi, but each Don George has different colored wristbands, belts, and collars from each other. For example, Accumula Town's Don George has red-colored items while Nacrene City's Don George wears olive.

Porter (Parker (パーカー,Pākā)): A family of guides that work on the cruises that run through the Decolore Islands. Each Porter has a slightly different colored uniform from the others, with the color of the lining of his jacket and shoes the same color as the stripes and funnels found on the ship he works on.